Min-Feng Yu, a professor of mechanical science and engineering, has developed a novel approach for manufacturing metal interconnects (Image: L. Brian Stauffer)

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Article Summary

The miniaturization of electronics has seen the wiring of connections between chips and circuit boards become a substantial obstacle. Such connections are traditionally made from pre-fabricated metal wires that connect to a designated bonding pad on a chip. However, many microelectronic devices are much smaller than the required 50-by-50 micron square bonding site, prohibiting integrated functions on a very small scale. Engineers at the University of Illinois have now developed a novel direct-writing method for manufacturing metal interconnects that could enable the further shrinking of integrated circuits and expand microelectronics.